


Taste of Cherries

by sparkinside (boomersoonerash)



Category: Hanson (Band)
Genre: Age Difference, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - No Band, Alternate Universe - Non-Famous, Alternate Universe - Not Related, Alternate Universe - Student/Teacher, Eventual Smut, F/M, First Meetings, Infidelity, Older Man/Younger Woman, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-31
Updated: 2018-08-28
Packaged: 2019-06-19 14:50:04
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 3,007
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15512199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/boomersoonerash/pseuds/sparkinside
Summary: Zac's just gotten a new job at the high school and his teaching position may bring more into his life than he expected.





	1. Chapter 1

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Excerpt: "It's not like I'm a new student who is starting a new school. I'm just a new teacher teaching at a new school," he shrugged half heartedly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Groaning when his alarm clock sounded Zac opened his eyes slowly, blinking several times as he looked around. He could tell from the feeling on the opposite side of the bed that his wife Kate was already awake.

Probably making breakfast for him and the kids that she had to usher off to school. His dear old wife being a dutiful homemaker who always got up before everyone else to fix breakfast because that was just who she was.

She liked trying to do everything and when she couldn't she liked to pretend that she could.

Sighing Zac slipped out of bed knowing he had just enough time to take a quick shower before the kids were up. Then once they were up he'd help as much as he could to get them ready but he'd have to be gone before they were. He'd have to head to his first day at the new school were he was teaching Literature.

Kate's need to move into a bigger house out in the suburbs instead of living in the city after the birth of their fourth child, meant Zac having to relocate schools. Find a new teaching position which had came quicker than he expected.

But he wasn't complaining even if he was a bit nervous about this. It meant having to meet new students instead of the ones he had known from his old school. It also meant meeting new teachers and hopefully making friends with them too.

Zac was sure Kate would love it if he became friends with someone who was married because she always talked about how she'd love to go on couples dates with other married couples. Something they had used to do with his brother Taylor and Taylor's wife Natalie.

But Taylor and Natalie had divorced last year and that had put an end to that.

Just like Zac and Kate's own date nights had came to an end as well. They had slowed down after Lucy was born but once Lucy turned a year old they had stopped altogether and that had been a year and so many weeks ago now.

Zac not sure if his wife even cared because most days she seemed more invested in her duties of playing the perfect mom and semi perfect wife. Only meeting Zac's needs when she felt like it really.

Which felt like once in a blue moon to Zac.

But he didn't have time to ponder on his marriage woes right now. What he needed to do was shower and then try to be the best father and a semi decent husband to Kate and help with the kids at breakfast and a bit after.

*****

"You nervous about today?" Kate asked as she turned to face Zac as they stood at the sink doing dishes after breakfast. Junia and Shep were upstairs getting dressed and Abe was in the living room probably asleep again on the couch.

Their youngest daughter Lucy having been put in a playpen because Kate hadn't felt like chasing her around the house as she got the two oldest kids ready. Having Abe was enough or so she had complained to Zac as she asked him to be the one to put Lucy in her playpen.

"No," Zac laughed softly as he shook his head. "It's not like I'm a new student who is starting a new school. I'm just a new teacher teaching at a new school," he shrugged half heartedly.

Truth be told he was a little bit nervous. He just didn't want to admit that to Kate and having her think he was weak.

Zac knew in the end if she knew she'd use it against him the next time they argued. She always did.

Kate nodded her head as if she didn't believe a word out of his mouth. "What are you plans for today? I mean besides educating the students who will come into your class."

Sighing Zac wiped his hands off once he was done with the dishes. "Well at lunch I have a meeting with the person who is head of the school newspaper since I agreed to take that over too," he told Kate knowing it wasn't something he was looking forward too.

He wasn't keen on helping with the school newspaper mainly because when he had been in school he had always found that boring but it was something the teacher he was replacing had done and so he agreed to take it over as well.

Save them from having to find someone else because if they didn't find someone else he knew it would be put on hold and somehow though he wasn't keen on a school newspaper he didn't want disappointed students who actually liked working on it.

"Sounds fun," Kate teased with a roll of her eyes.

"Very," Zac deadpanned as he leaned into her slightly, leaving a brief kiss on her lips. "I really should get going though. Don't need to be late on my first day. I don't think teachers can get tardy slips."

Kate laughed at his attempt at a joke. "Probably not," she agreed as she too wiped her hands off. "Have a good day though Zac," she smiled and at least it wasn't a forced one.

The forced smiles Zac was normally used too so a real one was a nice change.

*****

Avery looked at her reflection in the mirror of her bathroom one last time. Still not sure if she liked how she looked but she wasn't sure she had time to work with her looks. She knew she had to get going and head to school.

It was her first day of senior year and the prospect of that alone was almost thrilling. Knowing that next year after she graduated she could leave this place behind and head to the city.

A place where her heart truly laid.

Heaving a sigh Avery turned on her heel as she left the bathroom, not even looking at her mom who was still in the kitchen as she reached for her keys and bookbag.

"Goodbye Avie," her mom spoke right as Avery had the door open and Avery stopped then to give her mom a tiny smile.

"Goodbye," she said back quickly before turning back around and heading to her car. A car that had once been her older sister Jessica's but had got passed down to her when Jessica had went off to college.

Getting in her car, Avery started it up before soon pulling out of her driveway and heading to her best friend Amy's house. Having promised Amy that she'd pick her up today since Amy's boyfriend couldn't do it, his car being in the garage for some repairs.

It wasn't something Avery had an issue with especially since it felt like Avery hadn't seen Amy all summer. Both of them having boyfriends now that they spent all their time with.

Amy being attached to David and Avery being attached to Colby. Both of them of course had fallen for football players, obviously because that was the expected norm. Cheerleaders dating football players.

If Avery were honest the norm was almost boring in ways. Not that she didn't care for Colby, it just wasn't how she saw her first relationship going. Despite the fact that Colby was nice enough when he wasn't always expecting sex from her.

Sex that she still hadn't fully gave to him. She'd given him blow jobs and he had fingered her on more than one occasion but actual sex she was holding off on and not because she believed it was something that should be special. Sex was sex and first times could happen anywhere.

She was just vengeful and was holding off because there was certain things Colby refused to do for her like eat her out and if he refused to go down on her then she could refuse to let him inside of her.

Coming out of her thoughts Avery slowed down when she reached Amy's house. Almost surprised that Amy was waiting outside for her already but at least it meant she wouldn't have to wait forever like she had when she drove Amy to school last year.

It was just Amy was clearly into how she looked sometimes more so than Avery.

When Amy got inside of her car, Avery looked over at her best friend curiously when she saw the smile on her face. It was brighter than her usual smiles.

"What has you beaming today miss sunshine?" Avery spoke as she slowly pulled away from Amy's house. Heading towards the school.

Amy only giggled as she looked over at Avery, "David and I finally went all the way last night," she revealed sounding so happy about it. "It feels like somehow I've turned a new chapter in my life now that I'm no longer a virgin, officially having sex with my boyfriend and in my last year of high school."

Rolling her eyes Avery faked happiness, not sure she saw such a big deal about sex again. But well Amy had always been different than her.

"I think every senior this year is starting a new chapter," she agreed somewhat. "I just hope mine is a good one," she added on knowing the past few years had been kind of boring and also heartbreaking.

Her parents had divorced, her dad moving off to another state with the woman he had been cheating with and her mom not taking to being a single parent to two kids. Because when the divorce happened Jessica had also been at home too.

The only kid of Peyton's who hadn't been at home was Isaac but then again Isaac was only Avery's half brother, thanks to her mom having been married briefly before meeting Jessica and Avery's dad.

"I'm sure it will be," Amy spoke bringing Avery out of her thoughts. "What could go wrong?" she asked like she had missed everything in Avery's life before now.

But Avery chose not to say anything. Instead she just bit her tongue, reaching out to turn the radio up slightly as a song she liked came on.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Excerpt: "You can't just skip?" he asked like he really expected her to do that.

Avery stood at her open looker after her third period class, putting books away when she felt an arm slip around her shoulders. A smile playing on her lips because she knew it was Colby.

No one else would just come up to her like that, they know she'd cut their head off.

Turning to face Colby after she had her stuff put away she kept her smile. "Hey," she greeted him like she hadn't just seen him last night when he had came over for dinner. Her mom having finally wanted to meet the boy who was taking up her youngest child's time.

"Hey," Colby repeated as he leaned in to peck her lips. "It seems we have lunch together," he told her like he was just finding this out but he wasn't. She had told him at the start of the week when they got their schedule. "I was thinking we could sit under that one really nice tree outside and eat and do other things."

Blushing Avery looked away from Colby's gaze, knowing he probably would rather not eat at all. He would have much rather made out with her during the whole time they had lunch.

"I'd love too but I really can't," Avery said as she scrunched up her nose. Seeing a disappointed look on his face. "I have to meet up with that new teacher who is taking over the newspaper," she told him and she hated the way that it sounded like she was dreading this meeting.

In ways she kind of was though. The last teacher who helped head the newspaper had been a bitch and Avery was glad she was gone.

She could only hope this teacher was nicer, but she didn't have high expectations. Mainly because she hadn't met them yet. Didn't have their class until last period and so this lunch meeting would be their first meeting.

Colby let out a long sigh as he moved away from Avery, making her hate how sometimes he could go from one emotion to the other so quick. Leaving her with whiplash.

"You can't just skip?" he asked like he really expected her to do that.

Avery shook her head as she moved to shut her locker, "No I can't just skip," she retorted sarcastically with a roll of her eyes. "Not sure the teacher would be too happy with me and the last thing I want is to get in trouble with a new teacher on the first day."

"Fine," Colby relented with a shake of his head. "But can I at least walk you to the cafeteria so you can get your lunch?"

Looking away Avery rolled her eyes once more before looking back up with a painted on smile. "That would be nice," she told him. His hand reaching for hers the moment the words left her mouth and she let their fingers lace together, let him walk her down the hall.

All while wishing she hadn't because sometimes she really hated how he acted. Even if she swore she also loved him...or maybe she loved the attention he gave her.

*****

Zac who was sitting in his classroom where he was supposed to meet the student, sighed as he looked at the clock on the wall. Not sure he liked the fact that whoever this student was they were already late by a few minutes.

It wasn't that he expected promptness because god, he got being late. He was late for a lot of shit. This was just something he wasn't happy about so of course he was going to be harsher. 

Though it was after that thought that the door to his classroom opened and he watched as a girl walked in. Carrying what looked like a salad and he raised an eyebrow. Not sure how anyone could stand to eat just salads for any meal. They had never filled him up in the past.

It was why he always complained when Kate told him he should eat more salads.

"Sorry, I'm late," the girl spoke as she timidly walked towards a chair that was across from his desk. "The cafeteria line was longer than I expected it'd be," she said still acting timid.

At least Zac thought it was an act anyway. He didn't know her but from the way she was dressed, it seemed like she could be one of the popular students here and where popular students ever timid and shy?

"It's fine," Zac lied as he forced a smile, doing his best to act like he wanted to be here. 

He figured it was the least he could do, right? Just pretend and not get all visibly upset at this girl. They didn't need to get off on the wrong foot already.

The girl shook her head as she opened her salad, soon taking a bite of it. "No it's not," she told him after she swallowed her food. "I should have been on time and I wasn't. I didn't want to start off the first official meeting like this especially since the last teacher we hated wasn't really my biggest fan. Then again I wasn't hers either."

Zac did his best to bite his lip as the girl spoke, not wanting to tell her that in the end they probably wouldn't get along either. He wasn't sure how much longer he could hide his dislike of being in this position.

"Then let's start over," he suggested as he watched her take a few more bites of her salad. "I'll forget you were late and we'll just go from there," he said watching as she gave him a wary look before nodding.

A genuine smile settling on Zac's face at that.

"Good, then let's start with introductions," Zac said as he kept his smile. "I'm Mr. Hanson."

"Avery Lawyer," the girl who Zac now knew as Avery said, introducing herself. 

"Nice to meet you Avery," Zac told her and at least he was being honest there. "Now, how about you tell me about the school newspaper and how things work. I've never actually done this kind of thing before," he admitted before he could stop himself.

His smile dropping some when he saw the judgemental look Avery gave him but she didn't say anything to him. She just started to tell him how things went and he did his best to listen, finally getting his own lunch out.

Hoping maybe with some food in his stomach that he'd be easier to handle. But already feeling like he wouldn't. Wasn't making any bets on how much he and Avery would get along because he knew they wouldn't.

They may be right now but once things started happening with the paper after school he was sure they'd butt heads and she'd hate him like she hated the last teacher.

*****

Leaving Mr. Hanson's classroom after lunch was over, Avery wasn't in the least bit surprised to find Amy and Colby both waiting outside the classroom for her.

"So how did it go?" Amy asked with a tiny smile. 

"Swimmingly," Avery deadpanned as she took a hold of Colby's hand. "I think Mr. Hanson and I will get along just fine," she lied through her teeth.

In the end she half expected they wouldn't. There was just something about him that rubbed her wrong even if he was hot.

Way too hot to be a teacher in Avery's opinion. But that was regardless of the fact. She was sure by the end of the year she'd have found a new teacher to hate because of the fact that obviously Mr. Hanson wouldn't know a damn thing about how to help run the school newspaper.

That and he almost seemed like he hadn't wanted to even help, which made Avery wonder why he had even volunteered.


End file.
